Edwin allen



(No Model.)

HALLEN. MA'GHINE'FOR CUTTING SPOOL BLANKS. No. 247,593.

Patented Sept. 27,1881.

RS. Pnnuum m her. Wnlvingion. 0,0.

UNITED STATES? PAT NT OFFICE.

EDWIN ALLEN, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE ALLEN SPOOL ANDgPRINTING COMBANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR CUTsTiNG POOL-BLANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,593, dated September 27, 1881,

Application filed June 8, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN ALLEN, of Norwich, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Spool-Blanks, 850., of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine whereby a number of spool-blanks or analogous articles may be out 01f from a stick or rod at one operation by means of a number. or gangof saws, and in which provision is made for holding the blanks or pieces as they are cut off bythe saws.

Theinvention consists, essentially, in thecombination, in a machine for cutting spool-blanks or analogous articles, of a saw-man d rel and saws movablelaterally toward and from the work, a

holdfast consisting of a pair of griping-jaws, between which the stick or rod of wood is fed, I and one of which is slitted to permit of the passage of the saws through it, and means for causing said jaws to gripe the stick or rod between the several saws during the cutting operation and to release the blanks at the completion of the cutting operation. One of said jaws is preferably fixed, while the other is pivoted, and said pivoted jaw is acted upon by a spring to move it to release the spools or other articles, and by suitable operating mechanism, such as a cam, to move it to cause it, in connection withthe fixed jaw, to gripe the spools or other articles.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view, partly in section, of a machine embodying my invention, and comprising a hollow rotary spindle, through which the sticks or rods are fed, and which carries knives or cutters for turning the same. Fig. 2 represents a vertical transverse section upon theline a: :20, Fig. 1, Fig. 3 representing a detail sectional view illustrating the mode of operation of the griping-jaws; and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views, to be hereinafter described.

' sponding parts in all the figures.

(No model.)

ing-belt passing around the pulley B.

C designates a frame, which is supported at the lower end upon the shaft B, and is adapted to swing freely back and forth upon such shaft as a fulcrum, although the shaft is free to rotate within it. p

In the upper end of the frame C are bearings for a saw-mandrel, a, upon which are secured severalsaws, 1), side by side, (here shown as three in number,) and secured at a distance apart equal to the length of the spool or other blanks to be cut off. When the frame 0 is swung slightly upon its fulcrum the saw-maudrel a is moved transversely with its saws. The saw-mandrel a may be rotated by means of a belt, a, passing over a pulley, (1, upon the shaft B and another pulley, d, on the saw-mandrel.

The frame C is swung or moved in one direction by a spring, 6, (best seen in Fig.2,) which is connected with saidframe and with the framework of the machine, and said frame C is swung or movediu the opposite direction against the force of said spring by a cam, f, fixed to the shalt g, as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

At the upper partof the machine isjournaled a counter-shaft, D, which is rotated by means of a belt, D, passing round a pulley, D on the shaft B, and a'pulley, D, on the counter-shaft D, and from said shaft rotary motion is transmitted through a pinion, g, and a wheel,

upon the shaft 9.

E designates a hollow spindle mounted in hearings in a cross-piece or stock, A, and carrying at its forward end knives or cutters h, which are adapted to act upon a stick or rod of wood thrust through the spindle, and said spindle may be rapidly rotated by means of a belt passing from a pulley (not here shown) on the shaft B over a pulley, E, on the spindle'E.

F designates a carriage movable along the top of the frame-work of the machine, and carrying'a socket, F, into which the end of a stick of wood may be inserted, as seen clearly in Fig. 1, and which will hold said stick against turning while passing through the spindle E to subject it to the cutters h. The stick might,

however, be fed forward by hand.

The carriage F carries a pawl, 2', which en- The driving-shaft B may be rotated by a drivgages with ratchet-teeth or notches t" in a bar or rod, G, which is connected at j to one end of a lever, H, the other end of which is fulcrumed at Upon the shaftg is fixed a cam, 1, upon which is a projection, I, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) which as said cam turns bears upon a projection or lug, m, on the lever H and moves the latter, thereby drawing the rod G forward, and with it the carriage F, by means of the connection of the pawl twith the teeth or notches i in said rod. The rod G is moved backward to take a new hold on the carriage F by means of a spring, G. (Shown in Fig.1.)

Referring now to the parts which form the principal feature of my invention, Jdesignates a yoke or saddle extending across the machine above the saws b, and carrying a holdfast, which consists ofjaws n a, between which the turned stick passes as it issues from the hollow spindle E. The jaw n is represented as rigid, it consisting in this instance of a projection on the yoke J; and the jaw n is pivoted at M, and is adapted to turn on its pivot to open or close it relatively to thefixed jaw 11.

When not otherwise actuated, the jaw n is moved away from the jaw n byla spring, 0, to release the stick and permit it to be shoved freely forward between the jaws, and said jaw n is moved in the other direction and against the force of the spring 0, to cause it, in connection with the jaw n, to gripe the wood bya eam,p, upon the end of a short pin or shaft which has a bearing in the yoke J. Upon the opposite end of said short pin or shat'tis fixed a disk, 9', to which are connected a spring, 1*, for turning or oscillating the disk in one direction, and a rod, 8, for turning or oscillating the disk in the other direction, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 5. The lower end of the rods is bifurcated, as seen in Fig. 3, so as to pass over'and be guided by the shaft 9, and upon said shaft is fixed a cam, s, which acts upon a pin, 8 projecting from said rod to raise the latter and turn the disk 1* against the force of the spring r.

When the cam s and the other parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, and while the saws b are cutting the stick, thejaw n is caused to gripe the stick by means of the spring 1', which turns the disk 0', and with it the cam 12, and the'stick is so griped until the portion held has been cut into spools, whereupon the disk rand cam 12 are oscillated or turned in the opposite direction by the rod 3, and the spring 0 acts upon the jaw n to move it away from the jaw 12, and thus permits the several spool or other blanks to drop into a box or other receptacle.

By the two jaws n n the spool or other blanks are held firmly as they are out off by the several saws, and are prevented from being thrown in all directions when they are cut off, as they would be if not held.

As here represented, the fixed jaw n is notched or has saw cuts or slits in it at intervals to permit'the saws I) to pass through it, thus forming fingers between the several saws and on the outer side of the two outside saws, and the movable jaw 11 is notched slightly in its face to permit of the saws entering it slightly to make sure of their cutting entirely through the stick or rod of wood.

It is obvious that instead of the jaw n being movable to release the work thejaw n, or both jaws, might be movable, and in place of either jaw a series of fingers might be employed; but in the latter case the fingers would. all move simultaneously to gripe or release the blanks, and might be very properly regarded as one jaw.

By my invention I provide a machine which is automatic in its action, if the sticks of wood are supplied and placed in the machine as fast as used up, and which will turn and cut otl' spool-blanks with great rapidity, and consequently at small cost.

I am aware that it is old to construct a spoolmachine with a saw movable toward the stick or rod of wood to sever the same into spoolblanks, and a rotary receiver consisting of a wheel or disk having peripherical recesses, through which the stick or rod of wood is thrust, and which serves to support the blank after being cut. Such rotary receiver does not, however, gripe a stick or rod of wood as do my jaws, and the blanks are not delivered from the receiver until the latter has made a partial rotation.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for cutting spool blanks or analogous articles, the combination of a sawmandrel and saws, movable laterally toward and from the work, a holdtast consisting of a pair of gripingjaws, between which the stick or rod of wood is fed, and one of which is slitted to permit ofthe passage of the saws through it, and means for causing thejaws to gripe the stick or rod between the several saws during the cutting operation and to release the blanks at the completion of the cutting operation, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the swinging frame G, the saw-mandrel a, and saws I), the fixed and movablejaws an, the cam 12, acting upon said movable jaw, the spring 0, acting upon said jaw, and the spring 1', rod .9, and earn 8, for actuating said cam 1;, substantially as specified.

Vitnesses GEo. W. Foo'rn, W. H. JENNINGS, Jr.

EDYVIN ALLEN. 

